—Dun dun. “In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the police, who investigate crime; and the district attorneys, who prosecute the offenders. These are their stories.” That iconic Law & Order introduction has launched neatly wrapped, often ripped-from-the headlines stories since 1990. But as Chet Wiech, a retired chief assistant prosecutor tells it, the need to educate the public about criminal justice is paramount to providing pure entertainment.
In his book “Firmly Convinced: A Revealing Look at the Criminal Justice System Through the Eyes of a Career Prosecutor” from Mission Point Press, Wiech presents his case.
“Hopefully, the reader is not simply entertained, but also educated to the fact that the criminal justice system’s fallibility is not systemic but occurs when those responsible for upholding the rule of law fail in their commitment to it.”
In more than 30 true-crime stories, Wiech gives first-hand accounts of intriguing cases and presents key details of prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and most importantly, the individuals on trial as the scales of justice teeter until verdicts are reached.
“The book reveals a side of the criminal justice system readers seldom get to see. The vignettes describe the human element and how it impacts a just result,” Wiech said.
Wiech wasn’t driven to write “Firmly Convinced” to tell a familiar tale of transitioning from an idealistic to a jaded prosecutor or to expose injustice or corruption, but rather to look beyond often salacious stories.
“What I hope the reader gains from this book is a better understanding of the complexity of the criminal justice system attributed to its many participants, all of whom happen to be human. I also hope to help the reader comprehend the weight placed upon those dedicated to preserving the rule of law, which, simply stated, means that we are a country of laws, not men,” he said.
While many in the legal profession come to it via family legacy or political aspirations, Wiech’s career path was much more pragmatic.
“I was never one of those people whose entire life’s purpose was to become a lawyer,” he said.
After high school he tried a factory job like those his grandfathers, uncles, and dad held but found the work extremely hard and dangerous. He then spent four years in the U.S. Navy, and from the deck of a destroyer decided a college education, courtesy of the GI Bill, appeared to be a very good idea.
“Attending law school was essentially my fallback option,” he recalled.
Wiech peppers personal insights throughout “Firmly Convinced”: Riding an elevator, alone, with a buff individual recently released from prison after serving 17 years for a Wiech-prosecuted case. A colorful judge fond of asking lawyers to approach his bench, then quietly sharing irreverent observations. His retirement party attended by police officers, judges, lawyers, friends, family, and his “lunch wenches”—a night so festive that the ample number of beer kegs on hand were drained in two hours.
About the Author - Chet Wiech is a retired Chief Assistant Prosecutor from Atlantic County, N.J.. With a career spanning 25 years, he advanced from presenting cases to grand juries to supervising all trial attorneys.
Throughout his tenure, he conducted over 200 jury trials, including 20 high-stakes homicide cases, tackling nearly every offense in the New Jersey criminal statutes.
After retiring in 2013 and placing his law license in retired status, Wiech served as a school security officer for three years. For the past 13 years, he has volunteered as a tutor and tutor trainer for Cape Atlantic Literacy Volunteers and New Jersey Literacy, where he prepared countless immigrants for their citizenship tests.
In his book “Firmly Convinced: A Revealing Look at the Criminal Justice System Through the Eyes of a Career Prosecutor” from Mission Point Press, Wiech presents his case.
“Hopefully, the reader is not simply entertained, but also educated to the fact that the criminal justice system’s fallibility is not systemic but occurs when those responsible for upholding the rule of law fail in their commitment to it.”
In more than 30 true-crime stories, Wiech gives first-hand accounts of intriguing cases and presents key details of prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and most importantly, the individuals on trial as the scales of justice teeter until verdicts are reached.
“The book reveals a side of the criminal justice system readers seldom get to see. The vignettes describe the human element and how it impacts a just result,” Wiech said.
Wiech wasn’t driven to write “Firmly Convinced” to tell a familiar tale of transitioning from an idealistic to a jaded prosecutor or to expose injustice or corruption, but rather to look beyond often salacious stories.
“What I hope the reader gains from this book is a better understanding of the complexity of the criminal justice system attributed to its many participants, all of whom happen to be human. I also hope to help the reader comprehend the weight placed upon those dedicated to preserving the rule of law, which, simply stated, means that we are a country of laws, not men,” he said.
While many in the legal profession come to it via family legacy or political aspirations, Wiech’s career path was much more pragmatic.
“I was never one of those people whose entire life’s purpose was to become a lawyer,” he said.
After high school he tried a factory job like those his grandfathers, uncles, and dad held but found the work extremely hard and dangerous. He then spent four years in the U.S. Navy, and from the deck of a destroyer decided a college education, courtesy of the GI Bill, appeared to be a very good idea.
“Attending law school was essentially my fallback option,” he recalled.
Wiech peppers personal insights throughout “Firmly Convinced”: Riding an elevator, alone, with a buff individual recently released from prison after serving 17 years for a Wiech-prosecuted case. A colorful judge fond of asking lawyers to approach his bench, then quietly sharing irreverent observations. His retirement party attended by police officers, judges, lawyers, friends, family, and his “lunch wenches”—a night so festive that the ample number of beer kegs on hand were drained in two hours.
About the Author - Chet Wiech is a retired Chief Assistant Prosecutor from Atlantic County, N.J.. With a career spanning 25 years, he advanced from presenting cases to grand juries to supervising all trial attorneys.
Throughout his tenure, he conducted over 200 jury trials, including 20 high-stakes homicide cases, tackling nearly every offense in the New Jersey criminal statutes.
After retiring in 2013 and placing his law license in retired status, Wiech served as a school security officer for three years. For the past 13 years, he has volunteered as a tutor and tutor trainer for Cape Atlantic Literacy Volunteers and New Jersey Literacy, where he prepared countless immigrants for their citizenship tests.
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